Homosassa, FL man charged with stealing motor vehicle after Marion/Citrus county pursuit
Dunnellon, Florida - Around 12:30 pm on Sunday afternoon, September 4, 2022, as the result on an incident that spanned Marion and Citrus counties over a period of about two hours, the Citrus County Sheriff's Office (CCSO) arrested 34 year-old Joshua Lea Fleming of Homosassa, Florida. According to the agency, Fleming will be charged with motor vehicle theft and resisting arrest, and additional charges are also pending from the Marion County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) in Ocala, Florida.
The CCSO had been contacted to assist the Marion County Sheriff’s Office to pursue Fleming, who is accused of stealing a motor vehicle at a convenience store located on Marion County Road 484. Fleming fled from deputies and entered into Citrus County. On W. Dunnellon Rd. (CR 488) in Citrus County, Fleming abandoned the stolen vehicle and fled on foot. K-9 units were deployed to track the suspect. After a brief search, Fleming was apprehended off of W. Riverbend Rd. in Dunnellon, FL (near Crystal River, FL) without further incident.
An Alert Citrus was sent out as a safety precaution for residents in the area. Deputies feared that Fleming was possibly armed, but no firearm was located.
According to the Florida Department of Corrections (DOC), Fleming was convicted of burglary of unoccupied dwelling in July 2019, sentenced to two years, and released from state custody in May 2021.